2014 winners

Plugged-in fleets award, sponsored by EDF Energy

Winner: e-Connect Cars

e-Connect Cars’ fleet is a leading example of the benefits of going electric. From just a business plan in late 2013, the company now operates 10 Nissan LEAFs as private hire cars from their Canary Wharf base. eConnect Cars has built a business case based on a 100 per cent all-electric fleet and are demonstrating to other private hire operators in London and elsewhere that an all-electric fleet is a viable proposition.

Runner up: Fruit 4 London

This London-based delivery company shows how to maximise the benefits of electric vehicles and make them integral to the success of the business. Fruit 4 London has reduced annual fuel cost from £2,600 to as low as £215 per vehicle by switching from diesel to electric models, saving over four tonnes of carbon dioxide per vehicle each year.

Eco-driving

Winner: Park House Healthcare

Park House Healthcare achieved an outstanding 22 per cent improvement in average fleet fuel consumption, through driver training supported by exemplary data management. Park House Healthcare delivered training to company and private vehicle drivers and backed this up by implementing tracking systems and speed limiters across the fleet.

Runner up: Axis Europe

Average fleet MPG has increased by over 19 per cent in the five months to August 2014, resulting from driver training and improved data collection procedures. Axis Europe trained 179 of its own drivers and provided complementary training to selected clients. Telematics and MPG league tables helped to ensure improvements were sustained.

Transport solutions supplier

Winner: Gnewt Cargo

Gnewt Cargo’s all-electric fleet produces zero tailpipe emissions, improving air quality and helping to mitigate transport’s impact on climate change. Consolidating deliveries lowers total miles travelled by over 80 per cent, reducing traffic congestion. The operation has grown over 200 per cent in 2014, and with Nissan eNV200 vans now working alongside the existing Renault Kangoo Z.E., Gnewt Cargo is (silently) driving significant change in the UK logistics market.

Runner up: e-Connect Cars

e-Connect Cars’ all-electric fleet is proof that the private hire market can successfully make the transition to plug-in technology. All journeys are undertaken in a top of the range Nissan LEAF and emissions savings are communicated to clients by comparison to a diesel powered taxi.

Best public sector fleet, sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Winner: West Yorkshire Police

West Yorkshire Police has achieved Motorvate Gold Level status in 2014 for their successful work to reduce fleet carbon emissions. They have saved over £200,000 in fuel over two years by reducing mileage, acquired and deployed low carbon vehicles, and implemented driver training backed up with telematics to monitor and improve individual vehicle and driver fuel efficiency.

Runner up: Wiltshire Council

Wiltshire Council impressed the judges with the wide range of measures implemented to support home workers, including online meeting technology and provision of an effective mechanism for booking public transport and car sharing. They have procured 13 ultra low and electric vehicles for use as pool cars and installed in-cab driver intervention for commercial vehicles, increasing MPG by 10 per cent.

Best business sector fleet, sponsored by Volkswagen

Winner: Willmott Dixon

Previous Fleet Hero Award winner Willmott Dixon run a highly efficient fleet, having consistently reduced the environmental impact of their transport over several years. Starting from an already impressive baseline, an 11 per cent year on year fall in transport-related emissions is an outstanding achievement. Willmott Dixon has improved their Green Bonus Scheme, with a higher sum paid to drivers who choose a car with emissions under 90g/km and deployed an innovative bespoke fleet management system, leading to a 10 per cent reduction in vehicle numbers.

Runner up: Carter Synergy

The range of actions taken to reduce emissions, along with the buy-in achieved at all levels of this company, impressed judges and secured Carter Synergy Ltd runner up place. They have achieved employee engagement through rewards for improved MPG performance. Their holistic approach includes mileage capture, re-writing company car and grey fleet policies, telematics, speed limiters and driver training.

Grey fleet management, sponsored by Route Monkey

Winner: University of Cumbria

Grey fleet mileage was reduced by an impressive 36 per cent, resulting in a 16 per cent cut in emissions. This was partly due to their cross-departmental approach, including human resources, finance and planning and facilities management. A travel hierarchy was implemented, supported by provision of car club and daily rental vehicles. 200 Personal Travel Plans were issued to help staff make better choices and innovative schemes were implemented, such as a partnership with Virgin Trains to allow free first class upgrades for university staff.

Runner up: Sussex Community NHS Trust

One million fewer grey fleet miles were driven in 2013-14 as a result of the initiatives implemented. Sussex Community NHS Trust introduced a travel mode hierarchy, promoting tele- and video-conferencing and car sharing, reduced mileage through route planning and secured behavioural and cultural change through a co-ordinated communications campaign.

Innovation and technology, sponsored by Fleet World

Winner: Route Monkey

Route Monkey’s unique modelling, procurement and scheduling product has given numerous fleets the confidence to switch to plug-in vehicles. Route Monkey’s software determines the most efficient routes for electric vehicles and calculates the expected return on investment, and plans and schedules duty cycles, taking into account available charging infrastructure.

2014 saw Nissan add the eNV200 to its electric vehicle range alongside the best-selling family hatchback LEAF. Nissan is one of the first manufacturers to bring a rapid-charge compatible van to the UK market, has sold more than 6,000 LEAF models nationwide. They contribute to the development of the Electric Highway rapid chargepoint network and support My Electric Avenue, a research project to investigate the impact of plug-in vehicles on neighbourhood electricity infrastructure.

Runner up: Toyota and Lexus Fleet Services

Toyota and Lexus have sold over 150,000 hybrids across 13 models in the UK and made a range of low emission vehicles available including a seven seat MPV, 4x4 and executive limousine. Toyota has improved the environmental sustainability of the manufacturing process, with the solar array at their Burnaston site generating enough electricity to build 7,000 cars annually.

Commercial vehicle management, sponsored by GE Fleet Services

Winner: O’Donovan Waste Disposal

O’Donovan has retained their trophy as Commercial Vehicle Management winners at the Fleet Hero Awards. Since picking up the accolade last year, O’Donovan has made further improvements to their fleet through ongoing driver training and use of telematics, reducing average carbon emissions per kilometre travelled by 14 per cent year on year.

Runner up: Center Parcs

Center Parcs had 21 electric vehicles on their fleet as early as 2007 and now operate more than 30 Renault Kangoo Z.E. vans. They have also invested heavily in driver training, established in-house assessors to monitor their colleagues’ driving performance and linked staff bonuses to carbon savings.

Individual achievement

Winner: Andrew Brown, West Yorkshire Police

West Yorkshire Police is the 2014 Best Public Sector Fleet winner at this year’s awards. Significant credit for their success is due to Andrew Brown. Andrew Brown has championed the introduction of a telematics system, resulting in 1.6 million fewer miles travelled and helped West Yorkshire Police achieve Gold Level in the Energy Saving Trust Motorvate Scheme in 2014.

Runner up: Vicky Reed, Fleetdrive Electric

Fleetdrive Electric’s Vicky Reed has made an outstanding contribution to the UK electric vehicle market. Vicky has supported delivery of over 200 pure electric cars and taken responsibility for the day to day operations of My Electric Avenue, a ground-breaking project investigating the impacts of mass EV adoption.